Arsenal: Bernd Leno should play, but ‘sacking’ talk ridiculous

VALENCIA, SPAIN - MAY 09: Petr Cech of Arsenal looks on as he warms up prior to the UEFA Europa League Semi Final Second Leg match between Valencia and Arsenal at Estadio Mestalla on May 09, 2019 in Valencia, Spain. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
VALENCIA, SPAIN - MAY 09: Petr Cech of Arsenal looks on as he warms up prior to the UEFA Europa League Semi Final Second Leg match between Valencia and Arsenal at Estadio Mestalla on May 09, 2019 in Valencia, Spain. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images) /
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Arsenal head coach Unai Emery must decide who to start in goal ahead of next week’s Europa League final: Petr Cech and Bernd Leno. Leno should play, but talk of ‘sacking’ Emery, if he does not, is ridiculous.

The Europa League final is next Wednesday. It is a game that Arsenal must win, not just because it offers a trophy, although that is worth fighting for in and of itself, but because it provides a route into next season’s Champions League, the perfect foundation for the Unai Emery era to truly begin building.

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It makes sense, then, that Emery should play his best team to win this match. With no other games in the season, there is no need for rest and rotation. Injuries are not a concern either. Emery should simply pick the 11 players that he believes have the best chance of winning the match.

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And this presents an issue at the goalkeeper position. Petr Cech has started all of the Europa League games and domestic cup matches since Bernd Leno won the starting job. He has been the cornerstone of the defence in this competition. This will also be his final match as a professional footballer against his former team. What a way to bow out.

However, Leno is the better goalkeeper and his presence between the sticks has helped the rest of the team, especially when in possession with his greater comfort at playing out from the back noticeable. For some, sentimentality should be thrown out of the window. The better goalkeeper, in their view, should start no matter what.

In fact, in Tony Cascarino’s opinion, not only should Leno be the man to start, but should Emery select Cech, it would be considered a ‘sackable offence’. Writing in The Times this week, Cascarino said:

"Petr Cech should not play in the Europa League final for Arsenal. Not because he is due to join their opponents Chelsea as a sporting director but because, at this stage in his career, he is a far inferior player to their No1 goalkeeper Bernd Leno. I’d almost go so far as saying that if a manager picks a second-choice goalkeeper in a game of such magnitude then it is a sackable offence. It’s total negligence <…> You simply cannot justify picking Cech with so much at stake.”"

Now, I happen to agree with Cascarino. I believe that Leno should start, not Cech, despite my respect for and admiration of the former Chelsea shot-stopper. But to call starting Cech over a Leno a potentially ‘sackable offence’ is utter lunacy. Has Cascarino considered that some of the players may want Cech to play on a personal level, just as Watford did Huerelho Gomes in the FA Cup? Or maybe Emery prioritises the personal aspect of football and sport over the ruthless desire to win?

To sack a manager because he played a second-choice goalkeeper in a final would be utter nonsense, and this the opinion of someone who would disagree with that very decision. Emery is the head coach of this team and I am sure that he will weigh up the arguments on either side, determining which course of action he believes is the best for the team.

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He might make the wrong decision. He might not. It might not have made a difference. No one will really know. But to call for his head because he selected one goalkeeper over another is utter rubbish.